The Meaning of “Shorn” and “Shaven”
Electra, the Greek Goddess, in SHORN Hair
“But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she
were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven,
let her be covered.”
(1 Corinthians 11:5-6)
Imperative to understanding the passage of 1 Cor. 11:3-16 is defining the key terms in
the original Greek, but we must also put the definitions back into their correct historical
context. Although we have English equivalents for Greek terms, they do not necessarily bear
the same meanings in modern day English speaking cultures.
Word definitions change rapidly over time, and many English words have changed in
their definitions since the KJV was translated in 1611. With a modern day, ordinary dictionary a
person can be misled by a definition that was not applicable in Biblical times, but in a Bible
dictionary a different shade of meaning may be found. The best source for a word study is the
Hebrew/Greek lexicon. By defining the original Hebrew or Greek words in the text one obtains
the original meaning of Biblical terms.
The English word, “shorn,” is the past participal of the verb, “shear.” There is a myriad
of definitions for the English “shear.” UPCI author, Daniel Segraves, in his first book on hair
length, Women’s Hair: the Long and Short of It, does not even attempt to define the Greek
verb, keiro, translated “shorn,” but bases the belief against women cutting their hair (any
length) on a MODERN day definition of “shear” as found in ordinary dictionaries. On p9 he
presents 17 definitions, but only 3 of these are Biblical. Segraves states,
“…it is necessary that we establish clearly the meaning of the word “shorn” if our mind is going to be
settled as to whether a woman should cut her hair to any degree. So far we have the following information:
Shorn is defined as:
To shear (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance) – to cut with shears or other sharp instrument – to cut the hair, fleece,
wool, etc. from – to strip or deprive – to reap with a sickle – to cut with a sharp instrument – to cut off the hair
from – to cut off or cut short (hair) by or as if by the use of shears – to cut with something sharp – to cut with
shears or scissors – to remove (wool or fleece) by cutting or clipping – to cut the wool or fleece from – to cut close;
cut off; cut – to have one’s hair cut off, be shorn (W.E.Vine) – shearing or cutting short the hair of the head
(Thayer) – cut off (eight translations) – cut (two translations)”
Segraves uses three ordinary dictionaries and three Biblical reference books and states:
“…while “shorn” can mean “to cut close,” it is certainly not limited to that meaning. Indeed, the
preponderance of dictionary definitions are on the side of interpreting “shorn” as simply “to cut”, without
specifying how much! …While a minority of the definitions could possibly apply to cutting closely the majority
testimony is that “shear” simply means “to cut.”
Out of these 17 definitions I counted 10 that bear the meaning of “to cut closely.” But,
Segraves is not adding in those of “CUT OFF the hair…” as indicating how much; also, when
studying the definitions in the dictionaries Segraves used one will discover that references to
shearing sheep are omitted by Segraves. All Biblical uses of the word, “shear,” excluding
“shorn” in the NT (Acts 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:6), are referring to shearing sheep. When a sheep is
“shorn” there is nothing much left except stubble. The sheep looks almost as if it has been
“shaved.”
In quoting Vine’s definition Segraves omits the notation to see, “shave.” In the OT
“shave” is translated from the Hebrew word, gazaz, which means in Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible
Dictionary, “to shear.” The word is found in Jeremiah 7:29 where it is translated, “CUT OFF.”
(“CUT OFF thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high
places…”)
In Bible Dictionaries
The King James Dictionary defines “shorn” as, 1. “Cut off; as a lock of wool shorn 2.
Having the hair or wool cut off or sheared: as a shorn lamb. …It is appropriately used for the
cutting of wool from sheep on their skins…” Vine’s Expository Dictionary says “shorn” means
“to have one’s hair cut off, be shorn.” We are also referred to the word, “shave.” The
Interpreter’s Bible says of v6, “For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her
hair… Two different words are used by Paul for the cutting of the hair. The shaving was with a
razor; the shearing, with scissors. Such a cutting of the hair was a mark of a slave or of a
woman in mourning.” The International Bible Commentary, F.F. Bruce, states concerning v6, “If
she discards her veil like a man, she should crop her head like one too!”
In Greek Dictionaries
In Thayer and Smith, The NT Greek Lexicon, the Greek verb, keiro, is defined as, “to
shear: a sheep; of shearing or cutting SHORT the hair of the head.” Greek Word Study Tool says
keiro means “to cut the hair SHORT, shear; Mid. To cut OFF one’s hair or have it cut off, as in
deep mourning…” Archibald Robertson’s, Word Pictures in the NT, says in Book IV, “Keiro
means “to shear as sheep; Let her cut her hair close.” Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible
Words says keiro is used 1. “Of “shearing sheep” Acts 8:32. 2. In the middle voice, “to have
one’s hair CUT OFF, be shorn,” Acts 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:6 (twice).” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of
NT Words says the same as Strong’s but adds cp. Xurao, “to shave.” Vine’s says xurao comes
from xuron, a “razor,” and occurs in Acts 21:24 in connection with a vow (Num. 6:18-20; cp.
Acts 18:18 see SHEAR). Xurao is defined as to “shear” the hair in Strong’s Exhaustive
Concordance of the Bible, 50 Greek Dictionary. [The UPCI author does not define xurao and
totally misses the synonymous usage of “shorn” and “shaven.”]
The UPCI, in teaching on baptism, to prove there is only one correct MODE of water
baptism, goes straight to the Greek lexicon to define the Greek word, baptizo. The modern,
ordinary dictionary, Webster’s New World Dictionary, defines “baptism” as “immersion,
sprinkling, and christening.” But, the UPCI did not attempt to define keiro until the second
book, Hair Length in the Bible, by Daniel Segraves, when the author modifies his word study
method somewhat. Stated on p30 is,
“The word shorn … is translated from the Greek keiro, which means “to have one’s hair cut” without
specifying how much is cut off. We should carefully note this fact: both the Greek keiro and the English shear
simply refer to cutting. The hair is shorn if any of it is cut off.”
But, the author only refers to ONE Greek dictionary, the Shorter Lexicon of the Greek NT,
by Wilbur Gingrich, where keiro is defined as “shear Acts 8:32; Mid. Have one’s hair cut 18:18; 1
Cor. 11:6.” This particular dictionary does not present COMPLETE definitions. In the preface it
is stated, “Emphasis is placed on the bare meanings of words; for more information the user
must consult BAGD [Baer, Arndt, Gingrich, Danker] or other works.” But, the author does not
refer to any other lexical works to define keiro.
Although ONE MODERN definition of “shear” is “cut” without specifying how much, this
is NOT the meaning of the Biblical Greek verb “keiro.”
According to Greek Language Experts
Asking various college Greek professors, with Ph.D. degrees in Greek, the answers are
predominantly the same:
Q. 1. Can this word refer to a simple trimming of the hair? 2. Can it have a general meaning such as “to
cut” without specifying how much?
1. The Assistant Greek professor of the University of North Carolina says, “The verb keiro indicates quite a
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
thorough cropping of the hair, not just a trim. It was frequently used of sheep or when armies chopped
down crops, just to give you the idea of the strong force of it. If used metaphorically, it suggests wild
tearing (like animals greedily devouring) or of wasting.”
Dr. Radcliffe Edmonds, Department of Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies, Bryn Mawr College, says, “The
term generally means to shear, as in CUT CLOSE or what one does to a sheep. There are other terms that
could be used for just to clip.”
Professor Kilpatrick, from Queen’s University, says, “Keiro would mean “shear” (as a sheep) or “cut off.” It
implies a very short cut. (It was used in Greek for CUTTING OFF one’s hair to fulfil a vow.) Today it might
apply to cancer fund-raisers.”
Professor Griffith says, “In Classical Greek keiro describes the cutting of the hair of men and women upon
their reaching maturity. The amount of hair removed would have been quite substantial. The
monumental sculptures will give you some idea of the length of hair prior to the “shearing.” [This refers
to the “rites of passage.” An epithet of Phoebus, from Homer’s “Iliad” is translated, “not shearing the
hair.” It refers to boys in ancient Greece not cutting their hair SHORT.”]
Professor David Leitao of the Classics Department of the University of San Francisco, says, “I’m not sure
the Greeks had the concept “trim.”
Professor of Greek and Latin at Ohio State University, says, “Cutting of the hair SHORT is indicated by the
verb keiro. This usually denotes an act of mourning, not a hairstyle.”
A graduate student from the University of Minnesota and Baylor University, who works with NT material
and is knowledgeable in Koine, or Biblical Greek, says, “…’Keiro’ basically means “to shear (a sheep).”
Indeed, this basic sense of the word is attested, among other places, in numerous passages in the
Septuagint, the Greek version of the OT…Various forms of ‘keiro’ are used…in Genesis 31:19 (“shear his
flock”); Gen. 38:12-13 (“ones shearing the sheep” and “shear his sheep”); 1 Sam. 25:2, 4, 7, 11 (“shearing
his sheep” and “shearers”); and Isaiah 53:7 (“shearers,” also quoted in Acts 8:32). …the basic sense
consistently remains. That is, ‘keiro’ implies much more than simply trimming one’s hair, and its most
basic meaning in Biblical Greek carries a sense of the close cropping associated with shearing sheep.
‘Xurao’, which means “to shave,” is used in close connection with ‘keiro’ in 1 Cor. 11:6. It is closely
related etymologically, e. g., to ‘xuo’ (“to scrape, scratch”), ‘xuron’ (“razor”); and ‘xuraphion’ (“surgical
knife”). …this word…helps to further illustrate the intrinsic differences contained in words that are in
some ways synonyms. …’xurao’…often implies a smooth shave close to the skin, ‘keiro’ would not
(necessarily) carry that same nuance. Although ‘keiro’ basically implies a close cropping, it is still a cutting
rather than a shaving.”
Menander
To illustrate the literary usage of keiro the Assistant Greek professor of the University of
North Carolina referred to a play by the comic poet, Menander (342/1-292/1 BC), called
Perikeiromene, which is a combination of the Greek words peri (around) + keiro (shear) + mene
= woman who = the Woman Who was Shorn all Around.
The plot of the play is that a Corinthian soldier named Polemon has a lover named
Glykera, but because it is not known whether she was born from two Corinthian parents, he
cannot legally marry her, so they can only live together but not produce “legitimate” children
(i.e., boys who can become Corinthian citizens or girls who can give birth to boys who can
become Corinthian citizens.) One day Polemon sees the next-door neighbor (Moschion) come
up to Glykera and give her a kiss, and she does not resist him, because she knows it’s her
brother (although Moschion doesn’t know of this relationship, but their mother is dead now,
and they don’t know who their father is.) In a fit of jealousy Polemon then CUTS OFF ALL HER
HAIR, which was quite an embarrassing situation for Glykera, because a woman being
completely shorn was quite frowned upon in Greco-Roman antiquity (and most traditional
societies, including those today.) Glykera then leaves Polemon’s house and moves next door
with Moschion, because he’s her only known relative and she has nowhere else to turn. Of
course, Polemon interprets this as proof that his suspicions were right. She, however, must
keep finding ways to put off his advances. Eventually, her and Moschion’s father, Pataikos,
recognizes a token she has, and so their Corinthian parentage is discovered, incest is avoided,
Polemon is sorry, Pataikos agrees that Polemon can marry her (they don’t bother to ask Glykera
her opinion), and the play ends happily with a marriage. At any rate, the play’s title gives the
right idea—A Woman Shorned.
The Apostle was a well educated man and had read pagan literature. He, in fact, quoted
from Menander in 15:33 strongly exhorting the Corinthians to be careful of their associations:
“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”1 Menander probably derived
this from Euripides (Socrates, Ecclesiastical History, 3.16).2 In Acts 17:28 Paul quoted from the
beginning of the poem, Phaenomena, by Aratus of Cilicia, “…as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring.” He quoted from Epimenides in Titus 1:12, “One of
themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow
bellies.”3
In the book of Acts, chapter 21, we find that Paul spoke fluent Greek to the Roman
military captain, Lysias. Paul was fluent in Koine Greek as well as being fluent in Classical
Greek.4 The Apostle did not use the verb, keiro, to mean anything differently than the usage
illustrated in these examples from Greek literature.
Electra
The ancient Greeks regarded losing one’s hair as a sort of death, and mourners would
CUT OFF their hair out of sympathy. Aristotle wrote, “Sympathizing with the dead, we deform
ourselves by cutting off our hair.”5 They also “shorn” the hair of slaves. In mythology Electra,
the goddess, “shorn” her hair at the death of her father. She appears in the picture wearing a
dark himation, also a sign of mourning. From the ancient playwright Euripides’ play, Electra, we
have a clear picture of what was meant by CUT OFF the hair. Euripides also illustrates the
synonymous usage of “shorn” and “shaven.” Orestes, Electra’s brother, assumes that Electra is
1
“The Corinthian Women Prophets,” by Antoinette Clark Wire; p29
“Menander”; Wikipedia; http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/Menander
3
“Biblical Poetry”; http://www.angelfire.com/adazio/page45.html
4
“The Early Life & Background of Paul the Apostle,” The American Journal of Biblical Theology;
http://www.biblicaltheology.com/Research/WallaceQ01.html
5
“HAIR,” by Rig Veda; p5; http://theosophytrust.org/tlodocs/symbols/Hair-0483.htm
2
a slave when he sees her approaching, because of her cropped head. The following passages
relate to the fact that Electra appears with SHORN hair.
Electra: “…a water-jug on her shorn head. I have come…so that I may…send forth laments into the wide
sky, to my father.”
Pylades: “But now that I see this maidservant, bearing a weight of water on her shorn head, let us sit
down, and inquire of this slave girl…”
Electra: “I speak the laments in which I am always engaged, day by day, tearing my skin with my nails,
and striking my cropped head with my hand, for your death.” [Self mutilation was another feature of
mourning.] “I keep up this constant grieving, ripping my dear skin with my fingernails, while my hand
beats my shaven head—all this because you’re dead…And my head and hair, close shaven as if by a
Scythian’s [enemy of Greece] razor…And my hair CUT OFF, shorn with a razor?”
Helen of Troy
Euripides in the play, Orestes, uses the Greek verb applicable for “trimming” ends. Even
in mourning it was considered disgraceful to be obliged to “shear” off the hair, and lest they
should lose this ornament of their heads, the women contrived to evade the custom by cutting
off the ends of it only. 6 Helen should have shorn or shaved her head on account of the death
of her sister, Clytemnestra, but instead, she gave herself the equivalent of a modern day “trim.”
In Line 128 Electra, in speaking of Helen, says, “Did ye mark how she cut off (apeqrisen) her hair
ONLY AT THE ENDS, careful to preserve its beauty? She is the same woman as of old.”7 Helen
sent these “tresses” to the tomb, along with the libations, by her daughter and servants.
The Greek verb, apeqrisen, is translated “to cut off”8 and was also used of objects. It is
totally unrelated, etymologically, to keiro which is closely related to xurao (“to shave”).
Although Helen “cut” her hair, she still had “long” hair.
The Apostle did not use the Greek verb for “trim” or “cut”—without specifying how much—
in vv 5-6, but he used the Greek verb for a thorough cropping of the hair off SHORT!
Conclusion
It appears the UPCI has a tendency to deceitfully handle word definitions imperative to
understanding the passage of 1 Cor. 11:2-16. Failure to understand the passage within its
correct historical context is a major mistake. If we put Gingrich’s shortened definition of “have
one’s hair cut” back into its historical context, it meant to have the hair cut SHORT. Ancient
Greeks and Romans did not have the concept of “trim” as we do. “Trimming” ends is a modern
day practice related to hair health. Cutting hair in the 1st century Roman Empire was primitive
and was not done for style, or fashion, ease of care, etc. as today.
The connection of head-coverings with hair length was evident within Greco-Roman
culture, and because of the symbolical meaning of the head-covering, a woman who went
6
Adam Clarke’s Commentary 1 Corinthians 11
“Euripides, Orestes E.P. Coleridge, Ed.” www.perseus.com
8
“Greek Word Study Tool”
7
unveiled may as well cut her hair short. This parallel makes plain the phrase “for that is even all
one as if she were shaven” in v5. Read “Veiling in the Cult of Dionysus” to understand the
relevance of “shorn” and “shaven” within cult worship.